NBA releases NBA Cup tournament purses during season

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Myles Turner believes one reason the Indiana Pacers became a team capable of making a deep playoff run last season was because of the in-season tournament.

And he can’t wait for the second round.

The NBA on Friday announced the groups for the second edition of the tournament — now renamed the Emirates NBA Cup — which will begin Nov. 12 and run through the championship game in Las Vegas on Dec. 17.

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated Indiana in the final of the inaugural tournament last year, the culmination of an event in which the league has used different court and uniform designs — in part to let viewers know that these games, while all part of the regular season, are meant to have a different feel and meaning.

“It really got our attention as a unit,” Turner said. “We don’t watch a lot of games on TV, so that exposure was good not only for us but for the city. It really helped us throughout the season. It gave us a really positive boost.”

At stake are a trophy and money.

The winning team will each receive $514,971, while $205,988 will go to each player on the second team, $102,994 will go to the players whose teams lose in the semifinals and $51,497 to the players whose teams lose in the quarterfinals.

“The feedback from the players was that it was competitive last year,” said C.J. McCollum, New Orleans point guard and president of the National Basketball Players Association. “The jersey changes and the different courts make a difference. The fact that you’re competing for something beyond what you normally compete for all season, the chance to win a trophy in the middle of the season is good, and of course the financial implications were a factor. Bottom line is, guys just like to compete.”

The league has designated seven dates as “Cup Nights” – November 12, November 15, November 19, November 22, November 26, November 29 and December 3. Teams will play Cup matches on four of those seven nights, once against each of the other teams in their group.

The quarterfinals will be played on December 10 and 11. The semifinals will be held on December 14 in Las Vegas, with the championship match three nights later.

Last season, all games were counted toward the regular-season standings — except for the championship game, which was technically the 83rd game for both finalists.

“When you give them a reason to compete, it becomes a lot more interesting,” McCollum said.

Eastern Group A

Teams: New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Charlotte.

Analysis: The strongest group in the East, at least in the upper part, with three very good teams: the Knicks, Magic and 76ers at the top.

East Group B

Teams: Milwaukee, Indiana, Miami, Toronto and Detroit.

Analysis: This tournament showed what Indiana was capable of last season, and you can bet the Pacers will take it very seriously again.

Eastern Group C

Teams: Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, Atlanta and Washington

Analysis: The defending champion Celtics will play home games against Cleveland and Atlanta, then road games at Washington and Chicago — two teams that will likely be in a rebuilding phase.

Western Group A

Teams: Minnesota, Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento, Houston and Portland.

Analysis: Another group where three — maybe even four — teams can confidently say they expect to win the group and reach the quarter-finals.

Western Group B

Teams: Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah and San Antonio.

Analysis: The toughest group on paper. The Thunder, Suns and defending champion Lakers are expected to play well, and the Spurs will be much better this upcoming season than they were in Victor Wembanyama’s rookie year.

Western Group C

Teams: Denver, Dallas, New Orleans, Golden State and Memphis.

Analysis: The full schedule is still pending and won’t be released until next month, but one game is sure to catch your eye — Dallas vs. Golden State, date TBD. It could be former Warriors point guard Klay Thompson’s first time at the Bay as a guest.